Sports Writer

NRL referees boss Tony Archer is adamant Shayne Hayne and Ben Cummins did not lose control of last week's fiery second State of Origin clash and backed the whistleblowers who dismissed Parramatta's Chris Sandow and Gold Coast forward Nate Myles for dissent.

The game's match officials have been furiously scrutinised during this year's interstate showdown, after Blues coach Laurie Daley was unhappy at several decisions from game one last month before NSW clinched the series in an incident-riddled encounter in Sydney last Wednesday.

There was further drama concerning referees at the weekend when Sandow was sin-binned during the Eels' 46-20 defeat to Melbourne on Sunday for asking Cummins "How much are they paying you?", while Myles was marched for swearing at Gerard Sutton during the Titans' one-point loss to the Dragons.

The punishment of the duo was criticised by the players' respective club coaches, Brad Arthur and John Cartwright, but Archer said on Monday the men in the middle had made the right calls.

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"In relation to the authority of the referees and their integrity, that is paramount," Archer said. "I know that the action taken by the referees [on Sunday] was appropriate in the circumstance. The referees had the opportunity to send them to the sin-bin and that was right."

Archer also defended the retention of Hayne and Cummins for Origin II, and argued they had not allowed proceedings to slip beyond their control at ANZ Stadium six days ago. In a fiery contest that featured several spiteful incidents, players could be heard through the referees' audio system pleading for Hayne and Cummins to regain control of the match, while Blues hooker Robbie Farah said afterwards: "I think they probably lost control a bit but I don't really care now we've won the game."

Archer said on Monday: "I didn't think they lost control of the game at any stage. I'm not sure the niggle went for 80 minutes. There was obviously some incidents at the back end of the game where there was some frustration and the referees dealt with that as it occurred.

"There are things in every game, and State of Origin is no different to any other game in relation to the decisions made by referees. I don't think Origin II was any different. As I said, I don't think at any stage they lost control of the game."

On the most-debated decisions from Origin II, Archer said the decision to disallow a second-half try to Queensland's Sam Thaiday had been the correct one but said replays showed a Maroons kick-off had touched NSW prop Aaron Woods as he tried to evade it with six minutes to go.

"I think the video refs got the [Thaiday] decision correct," Archer said. "The reason for that is the ball was dislodged in a tackle made by Hayne. The ball is then considered to be loose – a loose carry – and for Sam for retain possession after the ball has been lost, he's got to catch it, regrip it or hold it before it hits the ground, and he didn't do that. I was comfortable with the decision.

On Woods he said: "I think on the slow-mo replay from one angle it indicates that the ball came in contact with him, which would indicate that it's the wrong decision."

22 comments so far

When will Tony Archer (or anyone who speaks for the NRL) finally give us a proper answer on the conundrum that is the stripping rule? Sam Thaiday is being tackled around the legs, and Jarryd Hayne strips the ball. Penalty (maybe penalty try). Except Thaiday is about to score, so not a penalty. Two scenarios then develop:As the ball falls towards the ground, Thaiday makes contact with the front of the ball (the end closest to the opposition dead ball line), thus by definition propelling the ball towards his own dead ball line. Can't be a knock-on. He maintains contact in those final millimetres until the ball lands on the tryline and he makes downward pressure. Try.Or, he just doesn't regain any possession, and the ball travels forwards until hitting the tryline and he lands on it. Knock-on in the in-goal, 20 metre restart. But wait - Hayne dislodged the ball in the act of scoring! Thaiday didn't lose the ball, Hayne knocked it out. Live ball. Thaiday lands on it with his torso, it's on the tryline. Try.Why does the player stripped of possession need to "regain"? If it's knocked backwards by the defence, tackle count restarts and it's fair game for everyone. Thaiday scored, and the lack of any consistent understanding by any official denied him.

Commenter

Jon G

Location

Sydney

Date and time

June 23, 2014, 9:14PM

Did you just read the article?? Sam needed to regain control...its been the same rule all year. If you watched any of the NRL games so far this year, it has been the same call...lose the ball, and you must regain control of the ball first...besides, watch the reply again, and its Hayne's hand that forces the ball first before Sam lands on it.

Go back to Game 1, the ball was knocked out of Luke Lewis' hands as he approached the try line...ruled a knock-on. Game 2, ball pulled out of Paul Gallen's hands, knock-on ruled.

QLD had more than ample opportunity to score, in both matches, but came up short....for a change.

Commenter

You're Kidding

Location

Newcastle

Date and time

June 24, 2014, 9:43AM

Seriously Jon??Ball was lost in the act of making a tackle.No deliberate strip. Loose carry.Knock on.End of conspiracy theories...

Commenter

MG7

Location

Sydney

Date and time

June 24, 2014, 10:35AM

You need to have control first to loose it. They never had control and we saw a game accordingly. The inmates were running that Origin asylum.

Commenter

Buccasaint

Location

Coffs Harbour

Date and time

June 24, 2014, 7:13AM

Archer naturally will justify his own choices, but it doesn't necessarily mean the players,

coaches, officials, other refs, will agree with him. Surely he doesn't expect the public to

put up with Hayne & Cummins again in origin 3. it was noticeable he used Hayne as an

evaluator in holden cup game at the Gold Coast on Sunday.

Archer, Cummins & Sutton don't value their integrity as highly as the top whistleblowers of

past eras, Sandow's remarks to Cummins were sendoff offences.

Commenter

joe blow

Date and time

June 24, 2014, 7:32AM

Tony Archer is in denial, as he was whenever he stuffed up in his on-field career. Hayne and Cummins had good games and didn't lose control? Technically he may be right, they never had control. And I am a NSW fan!

Commenter

Whistleblower

Date and time

June 24, 2014, 8:02AM

Yep your right.The last 10 mins of origin one was terrible ref decisions -the refs spoilt origin two with no control of the ruck or 10 metres.Luckily origin three is a dead rubber so who cares-Archer obviously doesn't!

Commenter

Jacko

Location

Warriorville

Date and time

June 24, 2014, 2:01PM

Not sure it is Tony Archer or the NRL who need to shoulder responsibility for the SOO debacle but clearly he was watching a different game than the ret of us.And the season started so well with referees enforcing the rules, quick play the balls without rubbish in tackles, banning debates with players around each decision etc.And that has lapsed into something approaching a free for all where the only agreed position is that you cannot punch. Don't know how no punches justifies in referees and players minds attacks on the head or face on the tackled player.every time a player is intentionally touched in the face should be a penalty. The practice would stop immediately.

Commenter

Bernie

Date and time

June 24, 2014, 8:33AM

it was discusting the amount of facials that were going on in the game, there was no ten metres and the players were allowed to chip the referee at alltimes. It is time the referees starting sin binning players for discent and its time for coaches to be fined for critisising every decision.

There was that many forward passes it was outrageous and the ball touched Aaron wood from the kick off. Why didn't the third referee bring that to the attention of the referee.

Commenter

kellybellyfonte

Date and time

June 24, 2014, 8:47AM

Tony Archer does not need to defend the sin-binning of Sandow or Myles. Both spoke to the referee in an unacceptable manner. That said, perhaps the referees should be doing it a little more often, as there seems to be a lot of back chat in the games.